New Treatment Options for Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a viral disease that damages your liver and can cause a list of unpleasant symptoms and discomfort. Currently, 3.2 million people in the U.S. suffer from hepatitis C. Unfortunately, many of them are unaware of it because of the vague and mimicking symptoms.

Treatment options for hepatitis C often include taking multiple shots and pills that include ribavirin, Incivek, Victrelis, and interferon. However, these treatments often have terrible side effects, including low blood count, depression, trouble thinking, hair loss, and flu-like symptoms.

Experts call two new drugs for hepatitis C ''game changers," and they expect these new options will dramatically improve treatment for many of the millions of Americans with the chronic infection.

These two new pills -- Olysio (simeprevir) and Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) -- work better than the current multiple shots and pills for hepatitis C. These new drugs have a higher success rate for curing the disease and do so in less time and with fewer side effects.

Olysio blocks the virus from maturing and also prevents it from making new virus. It can also decrease the spread of the virus in your body. Savaldi stops the virus from replicating within your body and from causing damage to your health.

During a 12-week study, when Olysio and Sovaldi were added into the medication mix, there wasn't an increase in side effects, and a 90 percent cure was realized in some of the patients.

What about protecting your liver and boosting your immune system?

If you or someone you know has hepatitis C, keeping the liver healthy is crucial. There are supplements like glutathione (antioxidant), adaladal sistine, milk thistle, and artichoke extract that can help boost your liver health. To help support general immune health, you may want to consider incorporating vitamin C, garlic, vitamin D, and lactoferrin into your diet.

What else do you need to know about hepatitis C treatments?

Dr. Mike discusses the newest drugs introduced to help treat hepatitis C, as well as supplements you should be taking to keep your liver healthy.